Travels of a Female Physician in the Ming Dynasty

Zhu Yuan always has a lot of creative ideas.

When the idea of ​​a palace sports event was proposed, although it sounded a bit ridiculous, he was very excited, as if he had already seen the entire palace busy exercising.

"Miss Yang, don't worry, I have a perfect plan!" As he spoke, he took out a piece of paper covered with graffiti, on which were drawn many small pictures of "sports events".

I leaned over to take a look and nearly burst out laughing. "What you drew... is a running track? And tug-of-war? Who in the palace would play tug-of-war with you?"

Zhu Yuan nodded seriously, "Of course! I've already made inquiries. Several young eunuchs in the imperial kitchen say they're very strong. They can definitely form a team and take on the palace maids in the imperial garden. Just think about it, tug-of-war would be so exciting. Everyone can even place bets, and the losing team will be responsible for making snacks for the winning team!"

"Place a bet?" I was at a loss for words. "This is becoming more and more like a market. Where are the palace rules?"

Zhu Yuan waved his hand disapprovingly. "Hey, rules, rules, too rigid! We're just having an event, so if we relax a little, everyone can have more fun."

I shook my head helplessly and thought: This guy's imagination is getting bigger and bigger.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Yuan’s “sports event” actually began to take shape.

He was busy in the Imperial Garden every day, bringing all kinds of people to "rehearse" his grand event projects.

The first experimental activity was the "Palace Tug of War Competition." That day, many people gathered in the Imperial Garden, all of them curious about this "new thing."

Zhu Yuan stood in the middle, holding a homemade loudspeaker, and announced with great emotion: "Everyone! Today's tug-of-war competition has officially begun! On one side is the Imperial Kitchen team, and on the other side is the Imperial Garden team! Are you all ready?"

People on both sides have already lined up, pulled the rope tight, and there is a hint of tension in their eyes.

The eunuchs in the imperial kitchen were all big and strong, while the palace maids were obviously much thinner.

I stood aside and said worriedly, "Zhu Yuan, are you sure this competition is fair? The palace maids seem..."

Zhu Yuan interrupted me confidently, "Don't worry, I didn't make this arrangement casually! I specifically found a few of the strongest palace maids. They usually work very hard to move medicinal herbs!"

I was at a loss for words and thought: Can this be considered a “scientific arrangement”?

The game is on!

At Zhu Yuan's command, both sides immediately started pulling hard.

The eunuchs relied on their strength and gained the upper hand from the beginning, and the rope was clearly tilted towards them.

However, what everyone didn't expect was that the palace maids suddenly exerted their strength at the critical moment and pulled back violently in unison.

"Bang!" The young eunuchs in the imperial kitchen lost their balance and fell to the ground.

The palace maids cheered and the imperial garden was instantly filled with laughter.

Zhu Yuan was also extremely excited. He jumped onto the rock and announced loudly, "Congratulations to the Palace Maids Team for winning! You won a special dessert from the Imperial Kitchen!"

The eunuchs got up from the ground awkwardly, wiping the dirt off their faces. Although they lost, they didn't care too much. After all, it was just an entertainment activity.

I stood aside, watching all this with a smile, thinking to myself: Although this tug-of-war game seemed a bit noisy, it did bring a lot of lightness to the palace. Although Zhu Yuan was a bit absurd, he did have his reasons.

In the next few days, preparations for the palace sports event were in full swing.

Zhu Yuan's "project list" gradually became richer. In addition to tug-of-war, there were also shuttlecock kicking, rope skipping, and even long-distance running - but the "track" of this long-distance running was limited to a few laps in the imperial garden, after all, the space in the palace was limited.

"Miss Yang, don't you consider participating?" One day, Zhu Yuan came over with a mysterious look on his face, holding a registration form in his hand.

I raised an eyebrow at him and said, "Are you serious? You want me to play tug-of-war with others?"

Zhu Yuan quickly waved his hands: "It's not tug-of-war! I think you can participate in the 'Shuttlecock Challenge'. You are a skilled doctor and you can definitely control your rhythm. This is a technical job!"

"Shuttlecock Challenge?" I couldn't help but laugh. "Where did you come up with this project?"

Zhu Yuan smiled proudly. "The palace maids came up with it themselves! They usually have a lot of fun playing shuttlecock, so I thought, why not have a competition? Whoever kicks the most shuttlecocks will win a small prize."

I shook my head helplessly: "You guys are really becoming more and more like a 'sports host'."

Zhu Yuan laughed heartily: "Of course! I'm the chief planner and host of the 'Palace Sports Festival' now, so the responsibility is huge!"

The day of the grand event has finally arrived.

On that day, the Imperial Garden was decorated with great liveliness, with colorful ribbons fluttering and small flags waving in the wind.

Zhu Yuan, wearing a "sports suit" of his own design, stood in the center, holding his "invincible loudspeaker," and announced solemnly: "The palace's first sports event is now officially underway!"

The first competition was the "Shuttlecock Kicking Challenge".

The palace maids stood on the grass in high spirits, holding shuttlecocks in their hands, their eyes sparkling with eagerness to try.

Zhu Yuan stood aside, acting as the referee, giving orders non-stop: "Are you all ready? Remember, today we're competing to see who can kick the most and most steadily! Start!"

The shuttlecock was flying in the air, and the palace maids were kicking it with ease, making the scene look particularly relaxed.

The audience around were also watching with great interest, and even a few ladies couldn't help but step forward to try it out. As a result, after less than two kicks, the shuttlecock flew far away, making everyone laugh.

Suddenly, Concubine Zhang appeared.

"I want to try it!" Concubine Zhang walked to the center of the venue with a fighting spirit, took a shuttlecock, and directly started the "shuttlecock kicking challenge".

Her performance was simply stunning - the shuttlecock flew under her feet, and her movements were flexible and natural, as if she had practiced for years.

The palace maids around were stunned, and even Zhu Yuan couldn't help but applaud.

"Your Majesty is amazing! She is a natural athlete!" Zhu Yuan exclaimed exaggeratedly.

Concubine Zhang smiled proudly: "Of course, I don't praise you lightly!"

The next competition is the "long-distance race".

Of course, this long-distance run only involved running a few laps around the Imperial Garden, but for the people in the palace, it was already a very "arduous" task.

Zhu Yuan personally stood at the starting point, holding the "starting flag" in his hand, with a serious face: "Dear contestants! Are you ready? This is a test of your endurance and will! Remember, whoever can persevere to the end will be the champion today!"

"Bang——" the starting flag was waved and the competition officially began.

The palace maids all ran easily at the beginning, but by the second lap, many of them were already panting.

Although the Imperial Garden is not big, walking around it a few times is still a big challenge for them.

Some palace maids even began to hold their knees, panting, and kept shouting: "Master Zhu...you must be too tired after running so long..."

Zhu Yuan was beside him, smiling and encouraging: "Hold on! Hold on! There will be a reward when you finish the run!"

The final winner turned out to be a young eunuch from the imperial kitchen. He was not only a fast runner, but also had amazing physical strength.

Zhu Yuan awarded him a "self-made medal" on the spot, which was actually a small wooden plaque engraved with the word "champion".

Everyone was laughing so hard that they were rolling on the ground. The entire Imperial Garden was filled with a relaxed atmosphere.

This event was a great pleasure for everyone.

The ladies and maids in the palace all said that although they were tired, they were in a very happy mood.

The Queen Mother also expressed her appreciation for the event and even suggested holding similar events regularly in the future so that everyone in the palace could relax.

And Zhu Yuan is, of course, the "biggest contributor" to this event.

He was busy in the Imperial Garden, directing various competitions, and he seemed to have turned into a "sports fanatic".

Everyone couldn't help laughing at him: "Master Zhu has now become the palace's 'sports ambassador'."

Looking at Zhu Yuan who was busy and happy, I felt a little emotional in my heart: this guy seems to be careless, but he can always make everyone happy in his own way. Perhaps, this is his most commendable quality.

In the evening, I was sorting medicinal materials in the pharmacy when Zhu Yuan suddenly rushed in with an excited look on his face.

"Miss Yang, today was such a great success! Look at everyone's reactions, they all love it so much! I'm such a genius planner!" He said as he gestured proudly.

I smiled and shook my head: "You guys really made the palace bustling with activity."

Zhu Yuan chuckled, then suddenly lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "But, Miss Yang, I haven't told you yet—I have a bigger plan."

I looked at him warily. "A bigger plan? What are you planning to do?"

Zhu Yuan's eyes lit up: "Think about it, our grand event has been a success. Next, I plan to organize a 'Palace Sports Meet'. It will not only be limited to people in the palace, but also invite foreign officials to participate!"

"Foreign ministers?" I almost burst out laughing. "Do you want foreign envoys to come and play shuttlecock with you?"

Zhu Yuan nodded seriously, "Of course! This is a great opportunity for the Ming Dynasty to have friendly exchanges with other countries! Tell me, isn't this a brilliant idea?"

I shook my head helplessly: "Your imagination really has no limits."

Zhu Yuan laughed heartily and patted my shoulder: "Miss Yang, don't worry, once I've finished it, you must attend the next event!"

Looking at his excitement, although I thought this plan was a bit ridiculous, I couldn't help but be infected by his enthusiasm.

Perhaps, in this rigorous court, just such people are needed to bring endless laughter and vitality.